Sea otter gives birth to pup in front of visitors to Monterey Bay Aquarium in California

Visitors to the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Northern California got to witness a live birth by a wild sea otter over the weekend.

The sea otter picked a rock in the aquarium’s Great Tide Pool to give birth to her pup on March 6, 2016. This is the second time since December that an otter has used the tide pools as shelter to give birth.

The aquarium said that, for many of their researchers, this is the closest look they’ve ever had at a wild sea otter birth.

“We’re amazed and awed to have had a chance to witness this Monterey Bay conservation success story first hand in our own backyard,” the aquarium wrote on its Tumblr page.

Onlookers “oohed” and “ahhed” as the mother otter began to groom her pup immediately after giving birth. Otters lick the fur of their newborns to make them buoyant.

“A well-groomed sea otter pup is so buoyant it’s practically unsinkable,” the aquarium said.

After three days in the protected area of the Great Tide Pool, the mom and pup headed back out to sea.

In the past, sea otters were hunted for their fur to near the point of extinction. In part due to legislative protection and conservation efforts, more than 100,000 to 150,000 sea otters are in existence, according to National Geographic.

Sea otter gives birth to pup in front of visitors to Monterey Bay Aquarium in California

'Mishka' the sea otter learns how to use an inhaler after she develops asthma

Sasha Brady

Published 19/09/2015 | 11:54

A sea otter in Seattle is learning to use a life-saving new toy: an inhaler.

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The Seattle Aquarium in Washington said the sea otter named Mishka started experiencing breathing difficulties when wildfires began reaching the aquarium this summer.

Veterinarian Dr. Lesanna Lahner diagnosed Mishka with asthma by listening to her chest and taking her blood work.

Now one-year-old Mishka is learning how to use an inhaler.

Mishka is the first sea otter to have asthma, the aquarium has said, and is receiving the same medication given to humans.

Aquarium biologist Sara Perry is using food to train Mishka to push her nose on the inhaler and then take a breath.

“We try to make it as fun as possible,” said Perry in a news release from the aquarium.

“Anytime you’re training a medical behavior, you want to make it nice and positive.”

Mishka – who has been at the aquarium since January – is on a combination of medicines as she transitions from an oral medication to the inhaler, but is reportedly doing well.

The aquarium said they are unsure why Mishka developed the condition, which is more common in humans.

They speculated that it may be due to reduced genetic diversity in the population – sea otters nearly became extinct in 1910 due to hunting and had to be repopulated in the late 1960s with otters from Alaska.

“It could also be related to reduced genetic diversity in sea otters, which has the potential to impact their immune systems and make it harder to fight off disease,” the aquarium said on their website.

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"Mishka" the sea otter learns how to use an inhaler after she develops asthma

Rescued Sea Otter Female Pup Learning Survival Instincts at Shedd Aquarium

The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago is taking care of a sea otter female pup. Earlier, the pup, which was found alone on a California beach, was under the care of the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California.

It remained there for the first four weeks of its life. On September 30, one-week old sea otter pup was found stranded on Coastways Beach in California. A passerby found her and was rescued with the help of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sea Otters Program.

Tim Binder, Shedd’s vice-president of collection planning, said, “The animal was found by a woman jogging who heard her crying”.

It is said that the pup was separated for at least 16 hours from her mother at the time of rescue. It has spent four weeks under the observation of scientists of the Sea Otters Program. Currently, animal care experts and veterinarians are helping and teaching the pup to groom and feed itself.

The pup is also being taught how to regulate the body temperature by getting in and out of the water. Due to the efforts of experts, the pup was able to thrive and is now at the Shedd Aquarium as part of a 30-year effort to rescue vulnerable sea otters found along the coast of California.

Currently, the pup is called ‘Pup 681′. As per experts, the aquarium became involved in the rehabilitation program of sea otters after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill incident in which many pups were orphaned.

Binder affirmed that Shedd has four sea otters and they want to increase the number. The pup has not been introduced to others yet. Binder said that they have been video-documenting the pup’s development. They are hopeful to present something about the pup to people in the coming times.

Rescued Sea Otter Female Pup Learning Survival Instincts at Shedd Aquarium

Aquarium hoping for otter love

Keepers at Tynemouth’s Blue Reef Aquarium are hoping love is in the air after introducing a potential new partner for Gizmo the otter.

Gizmo was born at the aquarium in 2005 and celebrates his ninth birthday in November.

Staff had been on the lookout for a new mate for Gizmo as he had been on his own for several weeks.

Now a three-year-old captive-bred Asian short clawed otter, called Indra, has been donated to the wildlife attraction by Chester Zoo.

Keepers are hopeful the pair will develop a strong bond and will eventually have cubs of their own.

“Indra was originally from a litter of five cubs. She has had very little human contact so is very nervous around us but this will change as she gets used to us and starts her training and enrichment programme,” said Blue Reef’s Anna Etchells.

“Her and Gizmo have been getting on great. They are chasing each other and playing together happily. They are rubbing noses together and sleeping cuddled up together.

“Gizmo has even shown her how to get out of the water in their enclosure – something she wasn’t used to.” she added.

Aquarium hoping for otter love

Photos: Otter preview party at the Tennessee Aquarium

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The new and improved River Otter Falls is now open at the Tennessee Aquarium. Here are a few photos from Friday’s “preview party.” Learn more here.  

There are seven otters living at the Tennessee Aquarium now. Keepers will rotate them on display, hoping someone is in the mood to play. (Photo: Richard Simms)

Tennessee Aquarium spokesman Thom Benson says the new display has more “edge effect” between land and water, an environment that much better suits the animals. (Photo: Richard Simms)

You have to be fast to catch photos because the furry little guys rarely sit still. (Photo: Richard Simms)

The new River Otter Falls offers great up-close and personal photo opps, sometimes too up-close. (Photo: Richard Simms)

One viewing window is reserved especially for kids. (Photo: Richard Simms)

A large crowd, including Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau President Bob Doak (center), was on hand for Friday’s special “preview pool party” at the otter exhibit. (Photo: Richard Simms)

North American river otters had once disappeared from our area, but restoration efforts have returned them to the wild in many areas around Chattanooga. (Photo: Richard Simms)

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Photos: Otter preview party at the Tennessee Aquarium